Loose-leaf binder



Oct. 15, 1940. M GRlFFlN 1 2,218,105

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 28, 1958 INVENTOR flf/a/ma $01010 fii/FH/V Patented Oct. 15, 1940 UNITED stares earner QFFlCE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Application November 28, 1938, Serial No. 242,658

8 Claims.

This invention relates to loose-leaf binders and more particularly to the so-called trigger actuated toggle plate type.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a loose-leaf binder means for positively locking the sheet retaining rings in a locked or closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide trigger means which operate the toggle plates to which the sheet retaining rings are secured, said triggers being adapted to open said rings from their locked position and to return said rings to a closed locked position.

A further object of the invention is to pro- I5 vide sheet retaining ring locking means which will simply yet efficiently prevent said rings from being separated or opened except as a result of the operation of said triggers.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, well constructed and assembled trigger unit to accomplish the above mentioned objects.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a so-called looseleaf binder embodying the invention with parts being broken away for clarity of detail.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view with the end cap removed showing the relationship of the parts comprising the invention.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken on line aa. of Fig. 1 showing the successive relationships of the various parts comprising the invention as the trigger is operated.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a detail of the invention.

It has long been common practice to construct the so-called loose-leaf binders with a plurality of separable sheet retaining rings disposed laterally across the center of the binder. These rings have been opened and closed by hand viz., the two halves of said rings were separated by pulling them apart, likewise such rings have been opened and closed by means of so-called triggers such as disclosed in the patent to Unger No. 2,056,812.

dated Oct. 6', 1939*. However, such trigger actuated rings could still be opened by hand without operating the trigger arrangement and likewise the rings could and would often be accidentally separated when the pages of a well filled binder were being turned. It is to obviate the possibility of the binder rings being separated except in response to deliberate manipulation of the trigger that the present invention is primarily directed.

As shown in Fig. 1, the loose-leaf binder structure comprises cover member ID which may be of one piece extending the entire width of the 5 binder, as shown. A metallic back member l2, ({Fig. 2) of suitable spring material serves as a support for various parts assembled therewith and extends laterally across the centralportion of said binder, said cover member I0 being'se- 10 cured thereto by any suitable well known means, not shown.

A pair of toggle plates I4 are secured in opposed relationship to back member I2 by any suitable means such as inturned bead I5 whereby 5 the outer edges of said toggle plate are hingedly mounted relative to said back member. The adjacent edges of said toggle plates may be maintained in relative alignment by means of suitable double headed rivets I6 which fit loosely through 20 suitable apertures, one half of each aperture being provided in each adjacent plate as I1 Fig. 6, as is common in the art. Thus the adjacent connected edges of the toggle plates are moved together, back and forth, over a dead center line, 5 incident to moving the cooperating ring sections to open and closed positions.

A plurality of sheet retaining rings I3, each comprising complementary semi-circular prongs I9 and 2B are disposed transversely of said toggle 30 plates as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Each of the prong or ring members I9 and 2B, is securely anchored to a toggle plate in such a manner that when the toggle plates are in a lowered position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the free ends 35 of complementary prong elements I9 and 20 will meet to form a complete closed ring. If desired a dome shaped cover plate I20 may be positioned lengthwise over toggle plates I4 by means. of suitable inturned edges 2| which may embrace edges .40

I5 of back member I2 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Suitable apertures 22 are provided transversely of cover plate I20 whereby to accommodate the prongs I9 and 20 which comprise sheet retaining rings I3. 45

The free ends of the prong elements constituting the sheet retaining rings are moved apart when the adjacent edges of the toggle plates are lifted upward about their respective outer edges 50 which are hingedly secured or received within lips I5. The following described mechanism is utilized to control the operation of said toggle plates and to lock said plates in lowered or closed position whereby to resist any ring opening or 55 plate lifting force applied thereto via the sheet retaining rings.

An upwardly extending end plate 24 is mounted transversely of the ends of back member l2 by any suitable means such as inturned flange 23 which may be secured to the underside of back member l2 by welding, riveting or the like, and to all purposes and eifects may be considered as part of or integral with the support l2. The upper edge of end plate 25 is rolled to provide a hinge loop forming eyelet 25 disposed above and over flange member 23. The vertical or body portion of said end member may be bowed as shown in the drawing in order to present a neat appearing end, behind which the toggle plate actuating levers are hidden from view.

The central portion of loop 25 is removed to accommodate a hinge loop 27 disposed intermediate the length of a trigger or toggle joint operating lever 26. A suitable pin 28 inserted through loops 25 and 21 pivotally secures trigger 26 to end piece 24. The lower end of trigger 26 terminates in a rolled loop 29, the central portion of which may be removed to accommodate loop 30 of the toggle plate actuator lever 3|. A suitable pin 32 inserted through loops 29 and 3H pivotally secures the lower end of trigger 26 to the upper end of toggle plate actuator link or lever 3| as clearly shown. The lower end of lever 3| is provided with two sets of spaced arms 33 and 34 which extend outwardly from both sides of the central body portion of said lever as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The vertical distance between upper arms 33 and lower arms 34 -is in excess of the thickness of toggle plates i l for a reason hereinafter more fully discussed.

The opposite ends of toggle plates M terminate each in a projecting lip 35 which is adapted to extend outwardly between spaced arms 33 and 34. This relationship is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, it being understood that the left toggle plate has been omitted merely for clarity of detail. The lever 26 and link 3|, together with their pivotal connections to one another and other parts of the device, constitute a toggle joint wherein the pin 32 is adapted to be thrown or moved back and forth over the dead center line .73B incident to moving and locking the rings l3 in open and closed positions.

The normal or locked position of the toggle plates is indicated in Fig. 3 in which it should be noted that pin 32 is disposed to the right of a vertical line rx drawn through trigger pivot pin 28. Pin 32 is limited in its movement to the right by reason of contact of loop 29 with end plate 24 as clearly shown. It also is apparent that toggle plates 4 are thus locked in closed or lowered position sinceany force exerted on the rings l3 for the purpose of separating the free ends of prongs l9 and 26 merely tends to urge loop 29 tighter against said end plate since pin 32 is disposed ofi center relative to pin 28 about which it pivots.

In Fig. 4, the relationship of the aforementioned parts is shown as trigger 26 is moved clockwise about pivot 28 whereby pin 32 is swung to the left to be in vertical alignment with pin 28. Further clockwise movement of trigger 26 lifts pin 32 and associated toggle plate lever 3| along arc b--b whereby lower arms 34 of lever 3| lift lips 35 of toggle plates I4 whereby the upper ends of the prong elements I 9 and 20 are moved apart.

It should be noted that the adjacent edges of toggle plates I4 are adapted to describe arcs about their respective lips l5 of back member |2 as they are moved from a locked or closed position upwardly to an open position. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the space between upper arm 33 and lower arm 34 of toggle plate lever 3| must be greater than the thickness of the toggle plates M in order to accommodate the angularity between said lever and the toggle plates l4 when said lever and toggle plates are in raised position, as shown.

Said prong elements l9 and 20 are closed by swinging trigger 25 counterclockwise about pivot 28 whereby the lower edges of upper arms 33 bear against the upper faces of prong plate lips 35 thereby forcing said toggle plates downward to a closed position.

Any suitable arrangement or relationship of parts may be provided to prevent separation or disassociation of the lips 35 on the toggle plates l4 and the arms 33 and 34 on the link member 3|. As shown herein, the upper portion or loop 30 of member 3|, is adapted to contact the inner face of the fixed support member 24, when the hinge pin 32 is moved outwardly relative to the lips 35 and beyond dead center between the lips 35 and hinge pin 28, thus precluding development of sufiicient play between the toggle joint members comprising the lever 26 and link 3| as might otherwise permit separation of the arms 33 and 34 and lips 35 of the ring carrying toggle plates M.

In the preferred form, triggers are provided at both ends of said toggle plates whereby both ends of said plates are locked in closed position so that it becomes impossible to spring said sheet retaining rings open by hand, however, one such trigger may be used with excellent success in lieu a of the two shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided in a loose-leaf binder the sheet retaining rings which cannot be opened other than as the result of a deliberate actuation of the triggers 26.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from th spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loose-leaf'binder including separable sheet retaining rings, a pair of toggle plates for supporting said sheet retaining rings, said plates having adjacent connected edges movable back and forth together over a dead center line and toggle joint means disposed adjacent each end of said toggle plates for operating said plates over said dead center line and for normally locking said plates in lowered position whereby said separable rings are locked together in closed relationship.

'2. In a device of the class described a pair of toggle plates, upstanding end members one each mounted at opposite ends of said plates, a trigger pivotally mounted on each end member, a toggle plate actuating lever pivotally connected to the lower end of each trigger, the lower end of each of said levers terminating in spaced fingers between which said toggle plates extend.

3. In a device of the class described, a plurality of separable sheet retaining rings each comprising a pair of aligned semi-circular prongs, a pair of toggle plates to which said prongs are secured, a pair of upstanding end members one each mounted at opposite ends of said toggle plates, a trigger member pivotally mounted intermediate its length to the upper end of each end member, a lever hingedly connected to the lower end of each trigger, means disposed on the lower end of each lever for lifting and lowering said toggle plates, the hinge between each trigger and lever being movable on opposite sides of a dead center line extending between the pivotal mounting of the trigger on the end member and the lower end of the lever, said hinge being in abutment with said end memberjwhen said prong plates are in a lowered ring closing position whereby said plates are locked in said lowerd position and said separable rings are locked in closed relationship against opening by an external force applied to said rings.

4. In a loose-leaf binder a plurality of separable sheet retaining rings each comprising a pair of aligned semi-circular prongs, a pair of toggle plates to which said prongs are secured, a spring back member to which opposite lateral edges of said toggle plates are hingedly mounted, projecting lips formed at the ends of said toggle plates} toggle plate actuating levers each having an upper set and a lower set of laterally projecting arms between which said projecting lips extend, a pair of upstanding end members one each disposed adjacent to opposite ends of said plates, a trigger member pivotally mounted intermediate its length to the upper end of each end member, the lower end of each trigger being pivotally connected to the corresponding toggle plate lever for lifting and lowering the adjacent lateral edges of said toggle plates relative to said spring back member, the pivot between each trigger and lever being disposed beyond a line drawn through the end member-trigger connection and the projecting lips, when said toggle plates are in lowered position, by an amount sufficient to prevent said trigger-lever pivot from being moved around said end member-trigger connection except in response to a deliberate actuation of said trigger.

5. In a loose-leaf binder including a plurality of spaced, separable sheet. retaining rings, each comprising a pair of aligned semi-circular prongs, a pair of toggle plates on which said prongs are operatively supported, a spring back member to which opposite lateral edges of said toggle plates are hingedly secured, an upstanding end member disposed adjacent an end of said toggle plates, and manually operable means disposed adjacent said end of said toggle plates for actuating said plates, said means including a toggle joint comprising a manually operable trigger arm mounted for movement about said end member to which it is pivotally secured intermediate its length and a link member pivotally secured to the lower end of said trigger, the lower end of said link member having toggle plate engaging arms extending transversely therefrom, the lower end of said link member being constrained to move with said toggle plates, the upper end of said link member being lifted upwardly and inwardly of said binder structure describing an arc about said triggerend member connection when the free end of said trigger is moved over and outwardly of said end member whereby the adjacent edges of said toggle plates are lifted for separating the sheet retaining rings, the connection between said trigger and link member being normally disposed outwardly beyond a line drawn through the said end of the toggle plates and the connection between the trigger and the end member, said connection between the trigger and link member being normally in contact with the body portion of said end member when said trigger is disposed in an upstanding, closed ring position whereby force applied directly to said rings for the purpose of separating said rings is transferred to and dissipated against said end member.

6. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a support, a pair of toggle plates hingedly related to the support and including complementary ring sections for impaling sheets thereon, a trigger element having a free end and a hinge end, means pivotally mounting the trigger element intermediate its ends to the support, a link having oppositeends, one pivoted to the hinge end of the trigger element, and the other hinged to the toggle plates, the hinges being so related as to pass a dead center position when the toggle plates are lowered, for locking said plates in the lowered position.

;7. In a device of the class described the combination with a pair of toggle plates and means for yieldingly and hingedly mounting the plates with an adjacent edge of each thereof in close proximity, and under tension whereby the plates normally assume an angular relationship to one another, said means adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said plates into coplanar relationship, of means for moving the plates back and forth from angular relationships on opposite sides of the coplanar relationship to which'said plates may be moved, said last mentioned means comprising a toggle joint having a connection" fixed relative to said firstmentioned means, a connection to each of said plates and an intermediate shifting connection movable under yielding pressure through dead center position between said first two mentioned connections, and an actuating lever for moving the shifting connection back and forth to positions on opposite sides of said dead center position; l

8. In a loose-leafbinder Ia plurality of separable sheet retaining rings each comprising a pair of "aligned semi-circular prongs, a pair of toggle plates to which said prongs are secured, a spring back member to which opposite lateral edges of said toggle plates are hingedly mounted, projecting lips formed at the ends of said toggle plates, a toggle plate actuating lever having an upper set and a lower set oflaterally projecting arms between which said projecting lips extend, an upstanding end member associated with the back member and disposed adjacent the end of said plates, a trigger member pivotally mounted intermediate its length to the upper end of said- 

